Super 16: Avalanche, Stars excelling ahead of Deadline, post-Olympics

The NHL Trade Deadline is in front of us, 3 p.m. ET on Friday to be exact, and the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, as much as Team USA's gold medal win is still being discussed, are in the rearview mirror.

All of it means the NHL schedule is back in full swing and we're getting closer to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Super 16 this week, our first since the last week of games before the Olympics, examines how teams have fared coming out of the break and what may lie ahead for them with the trade deadline right in front of everybody.

As always, to come up with the Super 16, the 14 voters this week put together their own version of what they think the rankings should look like and a point total was assigned to each, with the team selected first given 16 points, second 15, third 14, and so on.

Here is the pre-Deadline and how they're doing coming out of the break edition of the Super 16:

1. Colorado Avalanche (41-10-9)

Total points: 216

Pre-Olympics: No. 1

"A very bad thing happened to the rest of the NHL over the Olympic break: Nathan MacKinnon was denied a gold medal for Team Canada, so the Avalanche center is likely more focused on hoisting the Stanley Cup this season. Colorado is 4-1-0 and has won three in a row following the break and MacKinnon is on a mission with seven points (one goal, six assists) in four games, including his 41st goal of the season. His face while getting the stuffed animal before the silver medal says it all. He's not happy and that's great for the Avalanche and bad for everyone else." -- Bill Price, Editor-in-Chief 

2. Dallas Stars (38-14-9)

Total points: 214

Pre-Olympics: No. 5

"The Stars are where every team wants to be. They have won four in a row coming out of the break, outscoring the opposition 19-5, while running their winning streak to 10 games. They are virtually assured of a top three finish in the Central Division and getting within striking distance of the Avalanche for top spot in the Western Conference. The Stars are battle-tested and not afraid to aggressively add to the roster at the last minute. They acquired Tyler Myers in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday." -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

3. Carolina Hurricanes (39-16-6)

Total points: 185

Pre-Olympics: No. 3

"Carolina picked up where it left off before the break and continues to be perhaps the most underrated team in the NHL. The Hurricanes have the third-most points in the League and rank in the top 10 in goals for and goals against. Scoring depth? They can match up with anybody. Defense? They have one of the best at the position in Team USA gold medalist Jaccob Slavin. Goaltending? Brandon Bussi is 25-3-1. The Hurricanes could be the only team in the NHL that doesn't need to make any moves prior to the Deadline, so it'll be interesting to see what they do." -- David Satriano, staff writer

4. Tampa Bay Lightning (38-17-4)

Total points: 182

Pre-Olympics: No. 2

"When you win 20 of 22 games, eventually the struggle bus will find you. The Lightning have been on it for the past three games, losing by a combined 16-7 to the Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres and Wild -- all three teams ranked in the top six of this Super 16, by the way. It's hardly a cause for alarm or even reasonable concern at this point provided the Lightning respond and make it a mere blip. If it continues during a road trip that will take them to Winnipeg, Toronto and Buffalo, then there could be a full blown worry. For now, the Lightning are still first in the Atlantic Division and arguably the best team in the Eastern Conference." -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

5. Minnesota Wild (36-16-10)

Total points: 181

Pre-Olympics: No. 4

"The Wild are 2-2-0 out of the break and have a strong hold on third place in the Central Division. Three of their players are coming off the high of winning gold in Milan: forward Matt Boldy and defensemen Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber. Forward Kirill Kaprizov became the Wild's all-time leader in goals (220) in their 5-1 win against the Lightning on Tuesday. And to top it all off, Minnesota acquired Michael McCarron from the Nashville Predators on Tuesday. The forward will bring power and size (6-foot-6, 232 pounds) to the Wild. It's all looking good entering the stretch run." -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

6. Buffalo Sabres (36-19-6)

Total points: 156

Pre-Olympics: No. 7

"For loyal Buffalo supporters who haven't seen their beleaguered team reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2011, Sabresmania is alive and well and has engulfed the city. Did you watch the 3-2 victory against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday? The home crowd was waving towels and going bonkers like it was a postseason game. Let's face it. Both the players and fans can smell the playoffs. And with good reason. Thanks to a 4-0-0 run coming out of the Olympic break, the Sabres enter Thursday just two points behind the Lightning for first in the Atlantic Division and were set to be buyers on the trade market. Just another reason why their resurgence is one of the best stories in the NHL this season." -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

7. Detroit Red Wings (35-20-7)

Total points: 120

Pre-Olympics: No. 6

"March has meant trouble for the Red Wings each of the past two seasons. In 2023-24, they held the first wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference on March 1 but went 3-9-2 during the month. In 2024-25, they held the second wild card on March 1 but went 4-10-1 during the month. Each time, they fell out of a playoff spot and eventually failed to qualify for the postseason. This time, the Red Wings held the first wild card March 1 and have won their first two games of the month. Coach Todd McLellan has pointed out this is a different group. Detroit is healthy too. Will a better March help the Red Wings make the playoffs for the first time in a decade?" -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

8. Montreal Canadiens (33-18-9)

Total points: 115

Pre-Olympics: No. 8

"Since the return from the break, the Canadians are 1-1-1. With Alex Newhook back in the lineup, they have even more offensive depth. They remain in a good position to make the playoffs but can't afford to slow down because of the strength of the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference." -- Jean-Francois Chaumont, LNH.com senior writer

9. New York Islanders (35-22-5)

Total points: 110

Pre-Olympics: No. 11

"The Islanders have displayed resiliency since returning from the Olympic break, rallying for victories in each of their first three games. Their ability to find ways to win not only gives them a reason to buy before the Deadline, it has kept New York in the mix for home-ice advantage in the Eastern Conference First Round. Matthew Schaefer is a must-watch. The 18-year-old was named the NHL's First Star for the period ending March 1, when he matched and passed Denis Potvin (17 in 1973-74) for the most goals by a rookie defenseman in Islanders history. Schaefer has already reached 20 in his first season and leads New York by averaging more than 24 minutes of ice time per game. It's borderline absurd what he's already doing in the NHL as a teenager." -- Brian Compton, managing editor

10. Pittsburgh Penguins (31-16-13)

Total points: 108

Pre-Olympics: No. 9

"The Penguins entered a crucial stretch after learning Feb. 25 that captain Sidney Crosby will be out at least four weeks with a lower-body injury the forward sustained at the Olympics. The positive news is Pittsburgh is 2-1-1 and has outscored the opposition 12-5 without Crosby. Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs is 2-0-0 with a 0.50 goals-against average and .981 save percentage in two games, and scoring has been spread throughout. This joint effort will need to continue minus their No. 1 center if the Penguins have any hope of qualifying." -- Mike G. Morreale, senior draft writer

11. Boston Bruins (34-21-5)

Total points: 83

Pre-Olympics: No. 10

"With the exception of a dud against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, the Bruins have come out of the Olympic break exactly as they had hoped with wins against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Penguins, each of whom could be competing with Boston for a playoff spot. The Bruins continue to be setting themselves up well for a surprise postseason berth but desperately need to fix their road woes. Though their 23 wins are tied with the Hurricanes for the most at home this season, they're 11-13-4 away from TD Garden. That's not going to cut it, especially when you look at a brutal finish to the season with their final five games on the road against teams including the Lightning, Hurricanes and Columbus Blue Jackets." -- Amalie Benjamin, senior writer

12. Anaheim Ducks (34-24-3)

Total points: 64

Pre-Olympics: No. 16

"The Ducks put themselves in the thick of the playoff race with three consecutive wins coming out of the break. They're looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2018 and battling for top spot in the Pacific Division. Outside of a 5-1 loss to the Avalanche on Tuesday, the Ducks are playing some of their best hockey of the season and are 8-3-0 in their past 11 games. Had it not been for a 1-8-1 slide from Dec. 22 to Jan. 13, Anaheim would likely be first in the Pacific ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers, who have both been inconsistent and struggling to gain traction. The Ducks should be considered favorites to finish first in the division if they can maintain their consistent play through the last quarter of the season and continue to get strong contributions from young, talented forwards Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson and Beckett Sennecke." -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer

13. Vegas Golden Knights (29-19-14)

Total points: 57

Pre-Olympics: No. 12

"The Golden Knights lost three in a row and were 1-3-0 to start their five-game road trip before beating the Red Wings 4-3 in overtime on Wednesday. They had opened the trip with a 6-4 win at the Los Angeles Kings, a game played without any of their Team USA or Team Canada Olympians in the lineup in their first game after the Olympic break. Can they afford this mini-slump? Maybe. Vegas still sits atop the Pacific Division, but the cushion has thinned to almost nothing with the Ducks, Oilers and Seattle Kraken lurking. With six weeks left in the regular season, the Golden Knights are still firmly in the playoff picture, but the margin is shrinking fast and they suddenly look more vulnerable than inevitable." -- Paul Strizhevsky, staff writer

14. Columbus Blue Jackets (31-21-8)

Total points: 52

Pre-Olympics: No. 13

"Some wondered if the bump the Blue Jackets received after Rick Bowness replaced Dean Evason as coach Jan. 12 fizzled out during the Olympics, when they lost their first two games after the break (0-1-1). They rebounded to win their past two, though, despite being without defenseman Zach Werenski because of an illness, and are 12-2-1 under Bowness. Columbus is still on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, three points behind Boston for the second wild card, but in position to make a push with its next three games at home, where it is 16-8-5 this season." --Tom Gulitti, senior writer

15. Utah Mammoth (32-25-4)

Total points: 21

Pre-Olympics: No. 15

“The Mammoth have won two of four games coming out of the break, with a 4-0 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday that led to coach Andre Tourigny saying in his postgame press conference, “there’s no reason for us to play like that.” Utah bounced back with a 3-2 win at the Washington Capitals on Tuesday in what was a much better performance overall. The Mammoth play their next four games on the road, including a rematch against the Blackhawks on Monday. They have a four-point cushion for a playoff spot in the Western Conference and they know that will shrink if they play any more games like they did against the Blackhawks on Sunday. They got a reinforcement Wednesday by trading for defenseman Mackenzie Weegar from the Calgary Flames. It’s possible more help will arrive before the deadline, but the Mammoth can’t bank on that. They have to bank on being stingy defensively and opportunistic offensively. Weegar should help with both. And if they do that and they should be a playoff team.”  -- Rosen

16. Seattle Kraken (29-23-9)

Total points: 17

Pre-Olympics: Not ranked

"The Kraken keep finding ways with their defense and goaltending to win games and stay afloat in the race for a top three spot in the Pacific Division. They lack a true gamebreaker, but when they can keep a game low event, it typically leaves with two points in hand. It's fair to question if that is a sustainable approach to make the playoffs, but the Kraken are in position to do so with 21 games to play, including two each against the Avalanche, Lightning and Golden Knights." -- Rosen

Dropped out from Feb. 5 Super 16: Edmonton Oilers (No. 14)

Others receiving points: Oilers 11, Washington Capitals 10, Ottawa Senators 2

HERE'S HOW WE RANKED 'EM

AMALIE BENJAMIN

1. Dallas Stars; 2. Tampa Bay Lightning; 3. Colorado Avalanche; 4. Carolina Hurricanes; 5. Minnesota Wild; 6. Buffalo Sabres; 7. Montreal Canadiens; 8. Detroit Red Wings; 9. Anaheim Ducks; 10. Boston Bruins; 11. Vegas Golden Knights; 12. New York Islanders; 13. Columbus Blue Jackets; 14. Seattle Kraken; 15. Pittsburgh Penguins; 16. Utah Mammoth

JEAN-FRANCOIS CHAUMONT

1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Dallas Stars; 3. Tampa Bay Lightning; 4. Carolina Hurricanes; 5. Minnesota Wild; 6. Buffalo Sabres; 7. Montreal Canadiens; 8. New York Islanders; 9. Detroit Red Wings; 10. Pittsburgh Penguins; 11. Anaheim Ducks; 12. Edmonton Oilers; 13. Boston Bruins; 14. Vegas Golden Knights; 15. Utah Mammoth; 16. Columbus Blue Jackets

BRIAN COMPTON

1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Dallas Stars; 3. Tampa Bay Lightning; 4. Minnesota Wild; 5. Carolina Hurricanes; 6. Buffalo Sabres; 7. Pittsburgh Penguins; 8. New York Islanders; 9. Montreal Canadiens; 10. Detroit Red Wings; 11. Boston Bruins; 12. Columbus Blue Jackets; 13. Anaheim Ducks; 14. Vegas Golden Knights; 15. Seattle Kraken; 16. Ottawa Senators

NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA

1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Dallas Stars; 3. Carolina Hurricanes; 4. Tampa Bay Lightning; 5. Minnesota Wild; 6. Buffalo Sabres; 7. Pittsburgh Penguins; 8. Montreal Canadiens; 9. Detroit Red Wings; 10. New York Islanders; 11. Boston Bruins; 12. Columbus Blue Jackets; 13. Anaheim Ducks; 14. Vegas Golden Knights; 15. Utah Mammoth; 16. Seattle Kraken

TOM GULITTI

1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Dallas Stars; 3. Minnesota Wild; 4. Tampa Bay Lightning; 5. Carolina Hurricanes; 6. Buffalo Sabres; 7. Detroit Red Wings; 8. Montreal Canadiens; 9. New York Islanders; 10. Pittsburgh Penguins; 11. Boston Bruins; 12. Columbus Blue Jackets; 13. Anaheim Ducks; 14. Vegas Golden Knights; 15. Edmonton Oilers; 16. Utah Mammoth

MIKE G. MORREALE

1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Dallas Stars; 3. Carolina Hurricanes; 4. Minnesota Wild; 5. Tampa Bay Lightning; 6. Buffalo Sabres; 7. Detroit Red Wings; 8. New York Islanders; 9. Boston Bruins; 10. Pittsburgh Penguins; 11. Anaheim Ducks; 12. Montreal Canadiens; 13. Utah Mammoth; 14. Vegas Golden Knights; 15. Washington Capitals; 16. Columbus Blue Jackets

TRACEY MYERS 

1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Dallas Stars; 3. Carolina Hurricanes; 4. Minnesota Wild; 5. Tampa Bay Lightning; 6. Buffalo Sabres; 7. Detroit Red Wings; 8. Pittsburgh Penguins; 9. Montreal Canadiens; 10. New York Islanders; 11. Boston Bruins; 12. Vegas Golden Knights; 13. Columbus Blue Jackets; 14. Anaheim Ducks; 15. Washington Capitals; 16. Edmonton Oilers

BILL PRICE

1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Dallas Stars; 3. Carolina Hurricanes; 4. Tampa Bay Lightning; 5. Minnesota Wild; 6. Buffalo Sabres; 7. Detroit Red Wings; 8. Pittsburgh Penguins; 9. Montreal Canadiens; 10. New York Islanders; 11. Boston Bruins; 12. Vegas Golden Knights; 13. Anaheim Ducks; 14. Washington Capitals; 15. Columbus Blue Jackets; 16. Seattle Kraken

SHAWN P. ROARKE 

1. Dallas Stars; 2. Tampa Bay Lightning; 3. Carolina Hurricanes; 4. Minnesota Wild; 5. Colorado Avalanche; 6. Buffalo Sabres; 7. Pittsburgh Penguins; 8. Vegas Golden Knights; 9. New York Islanders; 10. Boston Bruins; 11. Detroit Red Wings; 12. Columbus Blue Jackets; 13. Utah Mammoth; 14. Montreal Canadiens; 15. Seattle Kraken; 16. Anaheim Ducks

DAN ROSEN

1. Dallas Stars; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Carolina Hurricanes; 4. Minnesota Wild; 5. Tampa Bay Lightning; 6. Buffalo Sabres; 7. New York Islanders; 8. Detroit Red Wings; 9. Montreal Canadiens; 10. Boston Bruins; 11. Pittsburgh Penguins; 12. Columbus Blue Jackets; 13. Anaheim Ducks; 14. Seattle Kraken; 15. Utah Mammoth; 16. Vegas Golden Knights

DAVID SATRIANO

1. Dallas Stars; 2. Colorado Avalanche; 3. Minnesota Wild; 4. Carolina Hurricanes; 5. Buffalo Sabres; 6. Tampa Bay Lightning; 7. New York Islanders; 8. Montreal Canadiens; 9. Pittsburgh Penguins; 10. Detroit Red Wings; 11. Columbus Blue Jackets; 12. Boston Bruins; 13. Anaheim Ducks; 14. Seattle Kraken; 15. Utah Mammoth; 16. Vegas Golden Knights

PAUL STRIZHEVSKY

1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Dallas Stars; 3. Carolina Hurricanes; 4. Minnesota Wild; 5. Buffalo Sabres; 6. Tampa Bay Lightning; 7. Pittsburgh Penguins; 8. Montreal Canadiens; 9. New York Islanders; 10. Detroit Red Wings; 11. Columbus Blue Jackets; 12. Boston Bruins; 13. Anaheim Ducks; 14. Vegas Golden Knights; 15. Seattle Kraken; 16. Ottawa Senators

DEREK VAN DIEST

1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Dallas Stars; 3. Tampa Bay Lightning; 4. Minnesota Wild; 5. Carolina Hurricanes; 6. Buffalo Sabres; 7. Detroit Red Wings; 8. Montreal Canadiens; 9. Pittsburgh Penguins; 10. New York Islanders; 11. Boston Bruins; 12. Anaheim Ducks; 13. Vegas Golden Knights; 14. Washington Capitals; 15. Columbus Blue Jackets; 16. Edmonton Oilers

MIKE ZEISBERGER

1. Colorado Avalanche; 2. Dallas Stars; 3. Minnesota Wild; 4. Tampa Bay Lightning; 5. Carolina Hurricanes; 6. Buffalo Sabres; 7. Montreal Canadiens; 8. Detroit Red Wings; 9. Vegas Golden Knights; 10. Anaheim Ducks; 11. New York Islanders; 12. Pittsburgh Penguins; 13. Boston Bruins; 14. Utah Mammoth; 15. Edmonton Oilers; 16. Columbus Blue Jackets